My High School Camping Trip Is Wrong, As I Expected
by UScroll15
Summary: Join Hikigaya Hachiman as he deals with being forced into a camping trip over his spring break.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: My Talk With Sensei Did Not Go As I Expected

You have always been there for me. In sickness and in health, you were always there. You are one of the few constants in my life, and I know for fact that what I feel for you is truly genuine.

At the end of the day, you are always there. You put up with me when I'm tired, and I put up with you when you're being stupidly unreasonable. Sometimes, I feel like kicking you to the curb. I never will, though, because I know for a fact that I can't bring myself to hurt you like that.

I can always count on you to be there for me. Even when I'm uncontrollably angry, or sad beyond belief… You have always been there. We've had our ups and downs, I won't deny that. Yet, no matter what, I can count on you to be there for me.

That is why you are my best friend. That is why I will always love you, TV-San.

•••

"What in the world is this bullshit?" Asked my teacher, who habitually displayed some very violent tendencies.

"It's a letter to my best friend," I replied, gulping.

We were currently alone in Hiratsuka-Sensei's office. She had told me to come here after class, and she was most likely going to scold me for handing in what she apparently seemed to think was a fairly crappy assignment. However, after what I was about to say, my teacher was most likely going to showcase those violent tendencies.

"It's what the assignment was, right? A letter to your best friend." I smirked, knowing my response would annoy her. However, in my defense, it did greatly amuse me.

Before I got too engulfed in my train of thought, I felt a gust of air by my cheek. It seemed as though my sensei threw a punch at me, just nearly missing my face. Even though I expected it, it still scared the ever living crap out of me.

"A year in the Service Club, and you still haven't changed, huh?" Hiratsuka-Sensei sighed, before removing her fist from the space above my shoulder. Seeing this, I sighed in relief.

"I'll rewrite it," I said, slightly rolling my eyes. For a loner such as myself, writing reports about friends was fairly difficult.

"No," She replied. Almost instantly. "I've given you way too many free passes. I'm marking this an F."

I gasped. Like, audibly gasped. Modern Japanese was my best class; never once had I ever received a mark below an A minus.

"An… An F?" I asked, horrified. Not only was I terrified of how bad the mark was, but also how my parents would react when they found out! "Please Hiratsuka-Sensei, let me do something to bring the mark back up! I can even set you up with some single bach-" I was cut off by a fist connecting to my stomach, followed by a sharp pain in the same area.

I doubled over, holding my gut in pain, as my teacher rubbed the fist she had just attacked me with.

"Well, Hikigaya, since you asked so nicely… Aside from that last comment… I'll let you bring the mark up."

Holy shit! Maybe this woman had compassion and mercy after all!

"Really? You'll let me rewrite it?" I asked, thanking the gods of crazy teachers.

"No. You won't be rewriting it to bring your mark back up… You'll be attending a camp over the spring break! Muahaha!"

Nope. I was wrong. No mercy at all.

"Fine," I sighed, facepalming. I should've just wrote the damn assignment properly in the first place. "What am I going to be doing there? Helping out ten year old children again?"

"No. Actually, aside from taking part in activities, you won't really be doing any work at all."

What the hell? This woman was going to make me partake in activities with kids seven years younger than me? She truly had no mercy.

"So, what? I'll be playing musical chairs with kids in primary school? That's my punishment?"

"No, you dense idiot. You'll be playing musical chairs with kids your own age!"

This was worse. Much, much, much worse.

"PLEASE NO. I'D RATHER PLAY WITH THE TEN YEAR OLDS," I exclaimed, horrified by her words. This woman was truly evil. No wonder she was still single.

Sensei shot me a glare, almost as if she could read my thoughts. Women are scary. Truly, truly scary.

"Too bad, Hikigaya. You'll be attending over your spring break. I'll text you the details. That is, of course, if you want me to bring your mark up. Look on the bright side! It will be a good opportunity to get you to learn how to socialize."

"How is being forced to socialize the bright side?" I muttered to myself under my breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" After a brief moment of silence, I sighed in defeat. "Fine. I'll go to your stupid camp. Who else is coming?"

"Hm.. Hayama, Tobe, Ebina, Miura… That clique. I believe Yuigahama is too… And so is Yukinoshita," She replied. "There are a few others, but I can't seem to recall who exactly.

My jaw dropped so hard, it nearly put a hole in the floor. Yukinoshita was coming?! Willingly? Most likely, Yuigahama was forcing her. But still, how? Surely Yukinoshita would've given Yuigahama one of her trademark icy glares, and she would've left her alone, but she was still coming? Perhaps Yuigahama blackmailed her. Yes, that was probably it. There was no other explanation.

"Yukinoshita-san is coming? I must be dreaming," I said putting my things in my bag. "No way she agreed voluntarily."

"Yeah, I was surprised too," Sensei replied, lighting a cigarette. "I'm just glad she's coming. Somebody has to be there to keep you from doing something stupid. Now scram. Go to your club."

"What do you mean something stupid?" I muttered to myself, walking out the door.

 **Well, thanks for reading this far. Don't worry, many more chapters to come. This first one is somewhat of a pilot; If you guys don't like it, then I'll scrap this project.**

 **Anyways, tune in for more. New chapter will be up by next week, hopefully! And don't worry, more Yukino X Hachiman on the way.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys! Jay here. So, before we get into this chapter, let me explain something, because I think you guys may be a bit confused. This story isn't going to be about camping with, like, tents and out in the wilderness; It's more like a summer camp with cabins and activities. Think "The Parent Trap", or even Camp Half Blood from Percy Jackson.**

 **That's all, really. Onto the story!**

Chapter 2: Yukinoshita Yukino Makes a Request

As I was leaving sensei's office, I felt thirsty. In fact, I felt tired the entire day too; likely due to me skipping out on breakfast and only having an apple for lunch. This is what happens when Komachi sleeps in! I sighed as I walked down the hall to the nearest vending machine, where I bought a can of some wonderful MAX Coffee. As I pulled the can out of the machine, I heard a set of footsteps suddenly stop.

"Your addiction to that disgusting drink appalls me," spoke somebody behind me. I didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.

"You left the clubroom just to come insult me?" I asked, turning to face Sobu High's resident Ice Queen. "That's kind of a compliment, if you think about it."

"Don't flatter yourself, Hikigaya-kun. The fact that you take me insulting you as a compliment makes me think you're a masochist. I am starting to fear for my chastity."

I sighed. Icy as always.

"Don't worry about your chastity, Yukinoshita-san," I began, as I started to walk towards the clubroom with her. "With that attitude, nobody will ever take it from you." I smirked, yet the expression was wiped off my face upon seeing her scowl.

From that point on, we walked to the clubroom in silence. I felt a little sour after teasing her. We bantered often, however that comment seemed to have somewhat crossed a line.

"So…" I said, breaking the very awkward silence. "Why did you come looking for me? Yuigahama must've told you that Hiratsuka-Sensei told me to come to her office."

"Who said I was looking for you? Once again, you flatter yourself, Hikigaya-kun."

Once again, I sighed. At least she wasn't that offended by what I had said earlier.

"With the amount of time you were taking, I was worried that Sensei severely injured you. Not that she wouldn't be justified if she did. You are quite irritating," she remarked, likely after sensing my annoyance. How compassionate of her. Wait… Compassion for me was superbly out of character for Yukinoshita. I turned my head to glance at her, and noticed that she was smiling. How strange. "Although while you are irritating, I wouldn't want you getting hurt too badly."

I stared at her, as we finally arrived at the clubroom. What the actual hell? Yukinoshita was either in a great mood or an alien had taken control of her brain and was attempting to impersonate her. The latter was very likely.

"Yahallo!" exclaimed an ever bubbly Yuigahama, derailing my train of thought.

"Yo." I replied, sitting down in my usual seat."

"Hello, Yuigahama-san," said Yukinoshita, as she began to make some tea.

I pulled a light novel out of my pocket, one that Komachi had given me a few weeks earlier for helping her with her entrance exams. Before I could open the book, a felt somebody tap my shoulder.

"What?" I asked, turning to face Yuigahama.

"Hikki, why were you so late today?" she asked, in a somewhat whiny tone.

"Hiratsuka-sensei asked me to come to her office. I told you."

"Yeah, but you took so long!" She replied, pouting. I sighed, and took a sip of my coffee. "What did she want?" She inquired.

"She basically forced me into going to some camp over spring break," I said, before turning to Yukinoshita. "By the way, why are you coming, Yukinoshita-san?"

Yukinoshita turned to face me, looking confused. "I agreed to come because sensei informed me that you were coming... That happened almost a week ago!"

Her entire sentence extremely bewildered me. Not only that sensei knew that I would be coming to camp a week before I even knew that a camping trip was taking place, but also that Yukinoshita's main reason for coming was that I'd be there?!

"That is, the both of you!" She exclaimed, correcting herself. "I was informed that the both of you were coming, hence I decided that all three of us going together would be a good team building experience."

"Oh, that sounds reasonable. Right, Hikki?" asked Yuigahama, as she poked me.

"R-Right," I said, finally opening my light novel. I took another sip of my MAX Coffee, before setting it aside.

"I assume you won't be having tea today. It seems you'd much rather drink garbage in liquid form," scolded Yukinoshita.

"One person's trash is another person's treasure," I replied, smirking.

Yukinoshita frowned, and Yuigahama just giggled. I noticed Yukinoshita pull out a book, while Yuigahama started to gossip. Normally, I just ignore her, but one piece of information caught my attention.

"Hey Yukinon, did you hear? Yumiko confessed to Hayato! They're an item now!"

I didn't know how to feel about this, other than bad for Yumiko. She fell in love with a façade. The only people who saw the true side of Hayato were me and Haruno, Yukinoshita's sister.

"That's good," I head Yukinoshita say, as she gave a genuine smile. Why was Yukinoshita happy about them getting together? She hated Yumiko, and she was almost extra icy with Hayato. It was interesting.

"I feel bad for Iroha-chan, though…" Yuigahama added.

I stayed silent throughout their conversation, until I got somewhat bored of my light novel and put it away. I proceeded to pull out my phone, when I heard my name being called.

"Hikigaya-kun."

I turned to face Yukinoshita, who had an expression on her face that I rarely ever saw.

Nervousness.

"Yeah?" I asked, confused as to why she was nervous to address me.

"I need to go to the mall tonight. Knowing what I need, there will likely be much things for me to carry on my own. Seeing as it's a Friday night, and you most definitely don't have any plans, I was wondering if you could accompany me to assist me in carrying- "

"Yeah, yeah. I'll help you," I said, cutting her off. Only Yukinoshita could simultaneously insult me while asking me for something. "I could've had plans…" I muttered, under my breath.

"Great. Shall we leave now?"

I checked my watch. It seemed like a lot of time had passed since we got to the clubroom. No request today, huh? Strange.

"Sure. See you, Yuigahama-san." I said, standing up.

"Bye Hikki! Yukinon! I'll lock up, don't wait for me!" she cheered.

Yukinoshita and I left the room, and I threw my can of MAX into the recycling bin. We walked outside in silence.

"So, what are you picking up?" I asked, attempting to sort out the awkwardness.

"Hmm… A new suitcase, some clothes, and sunscreen. I can't carry the clothes and the suitcase at the same time, so I asked you to come," She replied, counting the items off on her fingers. "Hopefully your Hikigerms don't infect my items. I'd have to throw them out, and I'm not in the habit of wasting money." Wasn't this the same girl that bought Pan-san toys every month?

I sighed. If there was one thing I could always count on Yukinoshita for, it was insulting me. However, I wondered why she was buying these items right now. She could've gone over the weekend, when her chauffer could carry her things for her, or last weekend, considering she knew about the trip last week. Spring break started after the weekend, and it was very unlike Yukinoshita to save things for the last minute.

"Uh-huh. Let's just go."

 **Here you are! Chapter 2! It was originally going to be somewhere around 3k words, but I decided to split it so I could have chapter 3 out faster. After chapter 3, updates won't be as frequent, due to exams coming up. But when July comes around, you might be getting 2 updates a week! Anyways, enjoy!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Thing He Desires May Be Within Reach

After what felt like an eternity of going from store to store, partaking in some banter with Yukinoshita, wasting time at a pet store so she could stare at cats, and lugging around a huge suitcase that would be impossible to lift when it was full, the trip to the mall was finally over.

Yukinoshita and I began to leave, her carrying three plastic bags filled with clothes, and me still carrying her large blue suitcase. I was surprised that she hadn't bought one with Pan-san or cats all over it. As I was thinking, Yukinoshita suddenly stopped in front of me. It seemed as if we had reached the mall's main exit.

"Thank you for the help, Hikigaya-kun," Yukinoshita said, giving me a small smile. "I appreciate it."

"Yeah, no worries," I replied, sighing, and walking along. She followed quickly, catching up to me. Not like it was difficult, considering I was lugging a three-hundred-pound suitcase along with me.

"Are you actually having trouble with that bag? Perhaps that was expected with your amphibian strength, Hikifroggy-kun," she joked, smiling a bit more.

"Are you trying to call me weak while you're sweating with three plastic bags, each barely weighing three pounds?" I retorted, giving a small smirk.

I looked over at Yukinoshita, and saw something unbelievable. She was pouting. This was one of the many moments I had experienced that reminded me that if I wasn't careful, I'd end up falling for this girl.

We continued to walk down the street, until we reached the train station. We had been out for a long time, it seemed. It was already dark. It was cold there, and I noticed Yukinoshita shivering. I didn't know that the Ice Queen could feel cold. I sighed, and took off my jacket. I handed it to her, looking away, dreading the likely

outcome from this act; an icy glare and a prideful comment, followed by an insult. However, I was surprised when I felt the jacket leave my hands.

"Thank you, Hikigaya-kun," she said, somewhat whispering.

I turned to face her. She was smiling. I don't recall ever seeing Yukinoshita smiling this much in one day.

"Y-you're welcome," I replied, looking away again. Why was Yukinoshita so happy today? She had just spent hours with me. I would have assumed she'd be angrier than my stomach after eating Yuigahama's cooking.

The train finally arrived, pulling me out of my thoughts. We entered the car; there were only a few other people there. Yukinoshita and I took seats next to each other, before the car doors finally closed and the train began to move. I pulled my phone out, looking for the time. Yet, before I could turn the phone on, I heard a 'hmph' from my left.

I turned to look at Yukinoshita, who had an annoyed look on her face.

"What?" I asked, fairly annoyed myself.

"Are you so impatient that you can't sit on a train for ten minutes without some form of distraction? You truly are a primitive beast, aren't you?"

I sighed. I could never win with her. However, from her words, it didn't seem like she cared about the phone. It seemed almost as if she was annoyed that I wasn't paying attention to her. It seemed as if all girls really were the same, fundamentally at least.

"I was only going to check the time," I explained, sighing in defeat. "No need to get worked up."

"O-oh..." She replied, frowning, the color of her face reminding me of Yuigahama's hair. "A gentleman should always wear a watch! Perhaps your undeveloped brain doesn't know how to use a watch," She quickly added, trying her hardest to make up for how flustered she was.

"Yes, yes, I'm a filthy commoner. Blah blah blah," I said, yawning. I was tired from how long we'd been out. I had unfortunately missed my daily post-school nap. I finally checked the time on my phone, eliciting a frown from Yukinoshita. I ignored her, looking at the phone instead. I couldn't believe my eyes; it was already 9 PM. We left the school close to 4:30. We had been out nearly five hours.

After a slight pause due to how dumbfounded I was by the amount of time we had been out, I put my phone away, mainly due to the icy glares Yukinoshita was sending my way. After about three more minutes on the train, we arrived at her stop. We got off the train, and began walking her down to her apartment. While I may not have had a watch, I was still somewhat gentlemanly.

When we had finally arrived at Yukinoshita's apartment, there was a very strange silence between us. Perhaps we ran out of witty banter? Used it all up at the mall, perhaps. Either way, the silence between us was awkward. Not a word was spoken on our way up the elevator to her flat. When we finally arrived at her door, I decided to break the silence.

"So… Should I just leave this here?" I asked, wanting to remove myself from this situation quickly.

"Oh… Um… Would you mind bringing it inside?" She answered, giving me a small smile.

I nodded, and wheeled it in once she had opened the door. I looked around her apartment. I had been here twice before, and it hadn't really changed, asides from a new framed picture of a cat, and a few new throw pillows on her couch. I turned around as she set her bags down, and gave a slight nod.

"Well… I'll be on my way-" I started, before the sound of a loud crack of thunder rang throughout the room, eliciting a yelp from Yukinoshita. I turned to face her large window. While it normally produced a beautiful view of Chiba, the rain water that was barreling down on the glass greatly distorted the view. I sighed, before turning back to face Yukinoshita. "As I was saying, I'll be on my way now." Of course I didn't want to go all the way back home in that terrible weather, especially without an umbrella, but it wasn't like I had anywhere else to go.

"Nonsense," Yukinoshita said, standing in front of the door. "I can't allow you to go back in that weather. I would rather not be responsible for you getting sick. You will stay here. At least until the weather calm down."

I sighed, realizing that I wasn't getting out of this. "Alright, fine. Please inform Komachi that you're holding me hostage. I need to use the restroom," I declared. She pointed towards a door, and I made my way towards it.

I entered the room, and immediately took a deep breath. It seemed as if I was staying a while at Yukinoshita's place. I rubbed my eyes, and splashed some water in my face. It was going to be a long night. I wasn't sure if my heart could survive hours straight of insults from her.

•••

After about half an hour of banter in front of the TV with Yukinoshita, I heard my stomach rumble.

 _Damn it, stomach. Shut up. You embarrass me._

"Perhaps we should eat," Yukinoshita suggested. "It is late, and I assume you must be starving, seeing as you haven't consumed any junk food in the last five hours. I'll go make something. I assume you like udon?"

"Uh.. Yeah. Thanks," I replied, grateful that I was being fed. I wondered how she knew that I'd like udon. I'd been craving it all week, actually. I just had no time to go get some. I had been asking Komachi to make me some the entire week.

Upon reminiscing, I had realized how Yukinoshita knew I wanted udon. It seemed as if my dear imouto had been gossiping about me with Yukinoshita. I felt extremely betrayed- how could my own sister go around leaking information about me? I decided that I would talk to her about it later. I was too hungry to be annoyed.

"Why did you ask me?" I asked, curiously. It had been bothering me all night. Yukinoshita could have easily asked Yuigahama, or Hayato, or even Haruno. Actually, scratch that last one. "You could've asked Yuigahama. Why me?"

I saw Yukinoshita pause, as if she was confused. "I would've asked Yuigahama, but I knew that she and her family were going out for dinner tonight. If you bothered to pay attention to our conversations in the clubroom, you'd know that. Besides, I doubt she could've carried that suitcase." She went back to preparing the food.

From that point on, the both of us were quiet. We didn't talk, and the deafening silence was around until the both of us had finished our dinners. Asides from the pattering of the rain on the window, the room was completely soundless.

I coughed, mainly out of awkwardness.

"Thank you for the dinner," I said, slightly pulling on the tie of my uniform. Yukinoshita had changed out of hers, now sitting in front of me clad in a nice t-shirt and skirt.

"You're welcome," she replied, before letting silence envelope us once again.

I was about to stand up, until she asked me something that completely threw me off guard.

"Do you have somebody that you like?"

I blushed at her words, staying quiet for a moment. Why the hell was Yukinoshita asking me something like that? Those were six words I never thought would leave her mouth. I thought of what I could reply with, before finally settling on something that I liked.

"Of course. There are many people that I like," I said, smirking. My response resulted in a loud sigh from Yukinoshita.

"That's not what I meant. Let me rephrase. Is there somebody that you love?"

This was even worse. Of course, there was somebody that I loved. I couldn't just outright say it, though, could I?

"…Yes."

She gave me a small smile. She didn't immediately follow by asking who, so I assumed she wasn't going to press further. At least, not on my response.

"Is there someone that you like?" I asked, resulting in a smirk from her.

"Perhaps," she replied, putting a strand of hair behind her ear.

I sighed. Why was she being like this? It was incredibly out of character for her. I decided not to show her the same courtesy that she had given me.

"Who?" I asked. I was curious, due to the fact that she brought the topic up so randomly, but I didn't really care.

In response, she simply narrowed her eyes at me.

I groaned. "Fine," I began, rolling my eyes. "Just an initial is fine." This action, for some reason, was very common among people my age. Getting just the initial of someone's crush. It was extremely cliché, not to mention stupid, but if Yukinoshita was insisting, she must have had some ulterior motive.

"H," she replied, tensing up. I noticed her clench her fists.

I sat in the chair, completely silent. For a second, I was happy. Hopeful. Before I remembered that I had been hurt before. That happiness was a fairytale.

"So? What are your thoughts?" She asked, clearly anxious.

My thoughts? They shouldn't have mattered to Yukinoshita. Not only because I don't specifically matter to her as a person, but also because my thoughts would upset her. I was conflicted. Should I tell her my true feelings, at the risk of being thrown out of her flat and jeopardizing our friendship, or should I tell her what would make her happy? After a moment, I decided on my reply.

"Not that my opinion should matter to you, but… I think Hayato is wrong for you. I think that you're a dependent person, and that you need to work on those issues. I don't think that being with Hayato would help you solve those issues. Being with him would be unhealthy… He's a people pleaser. He's decided that his only purpose is to make others happy, even if it's not right for them. Even if it means that he has to give up his true self. He's nothing but a façade; a cheap fake. Combine a façade with a person that needs somebody who can keep her in touch with her true self, and the inevitable end would be chaotic. So… I think that you and Hayato together would be bad for you. Besides, isn't he with Miura now?"

We both sat in silence. She was clearly shocked by what I had said, and was likely still processing it. I, however, was simply waiting to see how she would tell me to get the hell out of her flat.

After a few moments had passed, she finally broke the silence.

"I see..." she said, clearly stunned by my proclamation. "So… You think that Hayato-kun would be wrong for me?"

I gulped.

"Yes."

She sighed, and facepalmed.

"As always, Hikigaya-kun, you are a dense idiot."

I raised an eyebrow. She seemed more annoyed than upset. Not annoyed enough to kick me out, however.

"Your mistake was not what you said. While it may be true, what was wrong was the entire theory that your statement was built on, that theory being that I like Hayato-kun."

I was bewildered.

"If not Hayato-kun, then… who?" I asked, genuinely confused.

She stood up and walked over to me, crouching down in front of me to look me in the eye, as I was still sat down. She took my hand, and held it with both of hers. My eyes widened, as she gave a warm smile.

"I love you, Hikigaya-kun."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Hikigaya Hachiman Makes a Sacrifice

I laid in bed all day since getting home, simply contemplating the current situation that was my life. It was Saturday afternoon, and I had recently returned from Yukinoshita's apartment. The night before had been eventful, and I wasn't sure what to make of it.

That was a lie. I knew exactly what to make of the night before. I just didn't want to. That night… it had been wonderful and horrendous simultaneously, and left me feeling both amazing and terrible. I wanted to smile and cry. I couldn't get her words out of my head.

" _I love you, Hikigaya-kun."_

It was a courageous show of raw emotion and bravery, something that I had only managed to do once in my life. The result indirectly changed me, although I couldn't say that it was the only thing that made me how I was. I was the way I was because of my ill-judged trust in people. I was well aware that I "had a problem," thanks to the constant nagging of people like Komachi, Hiratsuka-sensei, and even Yukinoshita.

Truthfully, the only problem that I had was that I disliked ingenuity. That was the reason I hated society, and youth. They were all based on lies and misjudgment. Society was based on the misconception that the world was a good place, and youth was under the delusion that things would get better, and that all their problems would magically disappear when they grew older. The truth was that the world was a bad place where bad things happened, and problems never disappeared.

Still, in all of the darkness within my mind, there was one thought, one phrase that shone a light in the shadows of my head.

" _I love you, Hikigaya-kun."_

I thought about this endlessly. That one sentence had the potential to completely change my life, for better or for worse. At the time, I dreaded the fact that Yukinoshita had spoken them, however I thanked the gods of romantic comedies that she had. For once in my life, I hadn't been rejected.

Everybody rejected me. I repelled others. Most of my teachers hated me, with the exception of Hiratsuka-sensei. Other people resented me, for my eyes or other shallow, stupid reasons. Even my parents liked Komachi more than me, although I didn't blame them for that. How could anybody like me more than Komachi? The girl was a saint.

But after all the malice towards me, I found a community within the Service club. I had been reluctant to join at first, but who wouldn't be with the way that Yukinoshita had treated me when we first met? Not that I minded, of course. Yet, my reluctance to join had recently evolved in a reluctance to leave. I had found what I thought to be, what I hoped to be, friendship. And now, love. But my fears always got in the way of that which could make me happy. I highly doubted that what Yukinoshita felt for me was genuinely love. Interest, infatuation, perhaps, but not love. Love was something that had never been shown towards me outside of my family.

I believed that what Yukinoshita felt was simply due to good experiences with me. With my limited knowledge of her past, I understood that I was one of the few males that hadn't only spent time with her because of romantic feelings, and I was also one of the first classmates of hers that hadn't attacked her for herexceptionality. What she felt for me wasn't love. She must have mistaken friendship with a male student for love. After all, she didn't exactly have any other point of reference.

I sighed, and stuck my face in a pillow, continuing to let these thoughts plague my mind, before a voice pulled me out of my reflection.

"ONII-CHAAAAAN!"

My head perked up, and after a few moments of confusion, I realized that my dear imouto was calling me. I pulled myself off my bed, and made my way towards her. I finally found her in our living room, smiling at me.

"Ooh, you are back! Tell me, how was your night with Yukino-san? What did you get up too? Did you impress her with your tremendous charm? Ooh, that one scored Komachi so many points!"

I sighed, but let out a little smile. Komachi always managed to bring me out of a sour mood, even if it was only temporary most of the time.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," I teased, taking a seat on the large couch. She sat down next to me, and grabbed my arm.

"Tell me, tell me, tell me! What happened?! Spare no detail, unless it's something lewd, in which case Komachi doesn't need the details, just confirmation!" She gave me a cute smile, and impatiently awaited my response. Unfortunately for Komachi, the night before had been somewhat of a blur for me.

"She confessed," I said, sighing in defeat. I didn't really want to think about it. All I wanted to do was lie in bed and sleep. Hopefully, forever.

"WAHHH? YUKINO-SAN CONFESSED?! YAHOOOOO!" I winced, and sighed once again. Komachi was making it really hard for me to get Yukinoshita off my mind. "Yukino-san is going to be Yukinee-san!" I rolled my eyes, and rubbed my face with my hands. I decided to let Komachi be happy for a bit before telling her what happened.

"But wait," she began, with a confused look on her face. "If Yukino-san confessed, why do you seem even more miserable than you usually do?" Komachi looked as if she was in deep thought for a few moments, before finally snapping. I could almost see a lightbulb above her head turn on.

"Knowing you, Onii-chan, you're probably going to psychoanalyze and break it down until you drive yourself crazy, then make up some lame excuse so you can keep being miserable! You already have, haven't you?" She frowned at me, and crossed her arms. I was surprised by how well Komachi knew me. I simply shrugged in response, fearing the wrath that I knew was about to be unleashed.

"Why are you always so afraid of being happy, Onii-chan?" She asked angrily, before hitting me with one of the throw pillows that had been on the couch. "You always try to find ways to keep yourself miserable! You could be happy with Yukino-san! Why are you running away from it?"

I paused. I couldn't lie to Komachi, nor would it benefit me to lie to her in the first place. I decided to just tell her what I was thinking, although I doubted that she'd react positively.

"She doesn't really love me," I solemnly explained, finally taking my hands off my face. "She's never had a real friendship with a male classmate. She's mistaking feelings of friendship with me for love. I… I want to be with her… but I can't exploit her feelings."

I looked over to Komachi, who was frowning even harder at me. I hadn't seen Komachi this angry since my first day of High School, when I saved Yuigahama's dog, and got hit by a car in doing so.

"Stupid, dimwit, Hachiman!" Komachi yelled, hitting me with the pillow with each word. I probably should have taken that away from her after she hit me the first time. "Be selfish for once, Onii-chan! You want to be with her, and she wants to be with you! Why do you have to make everything so complicated! And who are you to say that Yukino-san doesn't really love you? Only she gets to make that decision!" Komachi hit me one more time, before putting the pillow away and standing up and sighing. "For being a total Scum-niichan, you're taking me shopping today! Hmph!" Komachi stuck her tongue out at me, then stormed off, presumably to her room.

I groaned, before getting up myself. I headed towards the kitchen, where I began to make myself a sandwich. No tomatoes, of course. As I was making the sandwich, my mind wandered to the events of last night.

•••

" _I love you, Hikigaya-kun."_

 _I paused. How could she love me? Or more accurately, what could she love about me?_

" _Hikigaya-kun?" She asked, her voice shaky._

 _There was nothing about me that she could love. I wasn't even that nice to her. There was no way I she said what I thought I said. I must have been daydreaming. Or in this case, nightdreaming. Which was technically normal dreaming. Whatever._

" _P-pardon?" I asked, attempting to confirm whether what I heard was reality or not._

" _Hikigaya-kun… I… I love you." She said once again, doing her very best to remain composed._

 _She always did her best to remain composed. For the entirety of our friendship, I had only seen her flustered a few times. We did have a certain friendship, didn't we? Though she rejected calling us "friends" twice, that was what we were. And we valued that friendship. That bond between the Service Club. We had been desperately trying to keep us together through the club, because for a while, it was the only thing keeping us together. Yet, I realized sometime ago, we didn't need the club to preserve our friendship. That connection that had been forged between us on that day… The second time I had met Yukinoshita, and the first (and last) time that Yuigahama had shyly came through the door. I remember the first time I met Yukinoshita. It was like a scene out of a light novel. The room was covered in sunlight, and a light breeze was present, letting cherry blossom leaves fly into the room, directly behind her. She had been sitting there reading, like she had been everyday until Yuigahama had arrived. I remember thinking that she…_

 _She had no friends._

 _Of course._

 _Suddenly, I realized. Yukinoshita never really had friends before the service club, had she? All the girls she knew were jealous of her, and all the boys that she had ever known were only trying to pursue a romantic relationship with her. Except for me. I had explicitly told her that I didn't like her, didn't I? I even offered to be her friend. Although she had declined, that is what we became. And that is what we still were. She hadn't ever had a friendship with another male before; obviously she had no point of reference for genuine love._

 _I couldn't take advantage of her misplaced feelings. I couldn't. Just thinking about it made me feel… dirty._

 _I decided to do what I did best. Put my feelings aside for the greater good. It was my duty after all, wasn't it? To do the right thing, no matter the cost? No matter how little gratitude I would receive afterwards? It was what I had been doing for much of my high school career. I may have promised that I wouldn't anymore, but it was what I had to do._

 _One last sacrifice._

" _Yukinoshita… I… I appreciate it, but… I don't feel the same way about you."_

•••

I walked through the mall I had been in just last night. I recognized a few stores that Komachi had dragged me to as well; Yukinoshita had stopped by them the night before. I wasn't really familiar with the mall, I had only come a few times, and only when the club needed something, or somebody dragged me with them. I remember that my mother used to bring me occasionally. She would buy me ice cream from a vendor that wasn't around anymore. Now, instead of carrying an ice cream cone, I was carrying a dozen bags for my little sister.

"Onii-chan, look! There's a sale!" She grabbed my arm, which was already sore from carrying so many bags, and dragged me along with her. After about thirty minutes and two new bags later, Komachi finally decided to take a break.

"Onii-chan, let's go get some lunch! You're buying!"

"Fine. But I get to choose where we eat," I demanded.

"Nope!" She said happily, skipping ahead. I sighed, and followed her into a small café. I grabbed a table, and Komachi and I both took our seats, waiting for the line to die down a little before actually going to order.

"Hikigaya-kun?" A feminine voice called out.

I turned around, primarily out of instinct, and instantly turned back around when I saw purple hair and a smile brighter than a blazing fire.

"Shit. Komachi, look the other way. Act inconspicuous," I whispered, keeping my head low.

"Inconsp- what? Look, it's Yukino-san's sister! Haruno-san, over here!" Komachi yelled out in response, completely ignoring me. I sighed, as Haruno took a seat next to me.

"How did you recognize me from the back of my head?" I asked her, avoiding eye contact.

"Huh? That's the first thing you say? No hello? Hmph, how rude of you, Hikigaya-kun. If you have to know, I recognized you from that stray hair of yours," She said smiling, flicking the aforementioned hair. I swatted her hand away, and Komachi just giggled.

"Although, It wouldn't be the first time you've been _rude_ these past few days," Haruno added coldly, glaring at me.

"So, you heard about that," I said, looking away from her. "Didn't think Yukinoshita would've told you."

"Told her about what?" Komachi asked, confused.

Haruno glared at her in response, instantly shutting Komachi up.

"Komachi, right? Why don't you go wait in line and get us drinks? Your Onii-chan here and I will both have cappuccinos. Here, my treat." Haruno handed my sister some cash, and Komachi immediately ran off to the line, clearly out of fear. While Haruno was doing something nice, something about it was just… scary. There was malice oozing out of her voice.

"Anyways," she began, returning to her 'normal' state. "You said no? Perhaps you have feelings for Gahama-san, hmm? Or maybe even Nee-san here? I am very beautiful." She said, smirking at me. I frowned in response.

"No. Never. Not even close."

"Yeah, I didn't think so…" She said, almost upset about it. "That, at least, would've been somewhat interesting. Although, I guess at the end of the day, you're pretty lame, huh? Denying your feelings… For such a lame reason… How boring."

Haruno always could see through me, without fail. However, in the past, she only called me boring when I was being like Hayama; putting up a façade for the good of everybody else. I wasn't exactly doing that in this situation… Had she… Had she misinterpreted my actions? Haruno was getting sloppy.

"Boring, huh? How so?" I asked, pretending to be confused. That was a two-part test.

"Don't play dumb with me, Hikigaya-kun," she coldly stated, glaring at me. It seemed she had passed part one. "Rejecting your feelings to keep your service club intact? Boring. And a little pathetic, too." Haruno narrowed her eyes at me, eliciting a chuckle from me.

"Here I was thinking you of all people would understand. You spend too much time with Hayama, Haruno. You keep forgetting… I'm not a selfish guy." I said, smirking at her. Had Haruno actually been wrong? Had she failed to look through me? This had to have been a mistake.

"Huh?" Haruno blurted out, a flabbergasted look on her face. "You… Not for the club? Hmm, perhaps you're interesting after all!" Haruno jokingly punched me on the shoulder, before placing her hand on her chin. "Although, that does make me wonder what the real reason was… If I was anybody else, I might actually believe that you don't actually like Yukino-chan, but previous evidence says otherwise," She said, eliciting a blush from me. "You two are quite friendly." Suddenly, Haruno's eyes widened.

I could've sworn I saw a lightbulb go off above her head.

Haruno turned to me, and smirked. "I see… What a stupid way of thinking you have. Although, I can see what you mean. She was the same with Hayama, back in the day. Latched onto him, made him chocolates for Valentine's Day… It was cute back then."

"You've known Yukinoshita her whole life… Want to help me out?" I asked. I was a bit desperate to solve the situation.

"Hmm, let me see… Nope!" She replied, smiling at me as if she wasn't causing me extreme emotional distress. "I told Yukino-chan the same thing before. You guys are big kids now, figure it out for yourselves.

As she finished, Komachi finally arrived, a tray with three coffees in her hands.

"Here you are! Thank you for paying, Haruno-san!" Komachi said, a bright smile on her face. "So, what did you talk about while I was gone?"

"Nothing much," Haruno said, winking at me before getting up and taking her drink. "I'll be going now. Nice meeting you, Komachi-chan!"

Komachi waved goodbye as Haruno left. I sighed, and took a sip of my drink. What was I going to do?

 **Sorry this took so long, guys. Exams just finished, and summer has begun. Prepare for more frequent updates! This chapter was a bit more dramatic than others; I've been trying to take aspects from both seasons in this story, so I hope you guys liked it. Also, I'd like to apologize for a mistake I made in the last chapter. I accidentally switched Hayama's name up; I thought "Hayato" was his last name. So, sorry. Anyways, thanks for reading! -Jay**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Hikigaya Hachiman Receives an Unexpected Visit

As Komachi and I walking home, I found myself thinking about Yukinoshita. How in the world could she like me? She herself had blatantly said that I have very little likeable qualities. In any mainstream measurement of human worth, she outranked me. She was wealthier, better looking, liked by more people, and better than me in basically every measure. How was it possible that somebody like her could claim to be in love with me?

I put the thoughts out of my mind as I entered my home, letting Komachi in first before entering myself. Before I could get my other foot in the door, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned, to see a fake smile and a mop of blond hair.

"Hikigaya. Do you have a moment?" Asked Hayama Hayato, heartthrob of Sobu High, and my antithesis.

"No. Go away," I replied. I had enough of rich people for one day. All I wanted was to be embraced by the comfort of my home, watch some TV, perhaps take a nap, and just enjoy my Saturday. Yet, for the second time today, I found myself being troubled by a person I did not want to see.

As I turned away from Hayama, I felt a strong hand grab my arm. I turned back around and scowled at Hayama, before pulling my arm away from him.

"It's about Yukinoshita," he solemnly claimed.

I sighed. It seemed that my decision would dictate the fate of my entire weekend.

"Komachi! I'll be back later. Tell Kaa-san that I'm out with…" I looked at Hayama. What was he to me? He wasn't exactly my enemy, nor was he a friend. "…A classmate," I decided, before closing the door. "Where to?"

"Let's take a walk around the block," he said, stepping off my porch.

We walked together in silence for a few moments, before I get fed up.

"So are you going to speak, or just look at the sky like an idiot?" I barked, not bothering to look at him. I already knew what he was doing: scowling at me. Perhaps he was looking around to make sure that nobody was around to see him as he truly was.

"What did you do to her?" He demanded, scowling even harder at me.

"That's none of your business. Stop sticking your nose in matters that don't concern you," I retorted, frowning right back at Hayama.

"You don't understand. Yukinoshita... She's different. She's less like herself. She's kind of like Haruno, in a way…" Hayama trailed off. Yukinoshita like Haruno, huh? Hopefully it was only temporary, although rejected confessions could change people. If anybody was the source on that, it was on me.

"And you think that's my fault?" I asked, feigning ignorance. It was obviously my fault. However, I had to see for myself. Only then could I figure out what to do. Although, while it was clear that I needed to do something, I still had time. I was going to see her in two days, so there was no rush to check up on Yukinoshita.

"Don't play dumb with me, Hikigaya. It doesn't suit you," he replied, seeing through me. "Will you at least talk to her?"

"Let me ask you something," I asked, frowning right back at Hayama. "Why do you care so much? Why would this affect you?" I knew that Hayama's family spent a lot of time with Yukinoshita's, but I didn't know that he actually cared about her.

"It's just…" Hayama looked down to his feet, his scowl subsiding. "I saw her do something similar, a few years ago, and I didn't do anything to help."

"And now you're trying to make up for that mistake. I understand," I told him, sighing. I looked off into the horizon, thinking about what had just been said. "If I didn't know the two of you as well as I do, I'd think you were in love with her."

That sentence was a bold-faced lie. Clearly, as the past few days had indicated, I didn't know them that well at all, nor did I think the two of them were in love. However, from what I did know about Hayama, I had a theory. This theory was almost completely confirmed when I saw Hayama gulp, followed by a faux chuckle.

"Yeah, you might've…" He fibbed, failing to deceive me.

"Yeah… Thankfully, I've spent enough time with you to understand you, at least a little. And I don't think that you're in love with Yukinoshita," I began, slightly smirking.

"You'd be correct in thinking that," Hayama said, his fake smile refusing to leave his face.

"At least… Not the younger Yukinoshita."

My smirk grew as I saw the smile disappear from his face. I let a chuckle escape my mouth as he gulped.

"So, you know?"

"You're not exactly doing a great job of hiding it, Hayama."

He sighed, looking down to his feet.

"I'll talk to her. Just stay out of my way until then."

He nodded, and thankfully we had reached my place just as the conversation had ended. He waved goodbye to me, his false smile returning to his face, before getting into a black sedan, one that he presumably came from.

 **A/N: Guys, I know it's been a long time, and I have a lot of things I'm sorry for. Firstly, sorry for the super short update! I went through a small case of writer's block, and couldn't exactly figure out what to fit into the Sunday slot. You see, the first and second chapters took place on a Friday, and the two latest ones taking place on the Saturday directly afterwards. There'll be a week's worth of camp, and potentially some chapters after camp is over, and for the most part it's all planned out, but I couldn't figure out the details for the Sunday. However, the worst part is behind us, and now my Writer's block has cleared up. Now the second thing I have to apologize for is my terrible treatment to you guys; I was gone far too long without any notice, and I'm really sorry for that. I really don't have a good excuse. My final apology is for the future; chapters are going to be longer from now on, but also less frequent. My summer has been much busier than I expected. But anyways, I hope you guys have enjoyed my story so far. See you all later!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: An Awkward Reunion

My vision was blurry as I opened my eyes, looking towards a bright source of light coming from the left of my bed. I saw curtains dancing by an open balcony, with what could only be described as a heavy snowfall outside. Despite the open doors, and the below-zero temperatures, I didn't feel even slightly cold. My vision began to slightly clear, when I saw a figure standing on the balcony, in the snow. I could only comprehend the long, dark hair draping over the figures shoulders, as well as a loose white dress she was wearing. She looked unbothered by the snow. I would've attempted to call out to her, but I somehow knew that no matter how hard I tried, if I opened my mouth, no words would escape.

As if sensing my longing, the girl turned. My vision had yet to completely clear, and so I could hardly make out her face. Despite this, I could still somehow manage to tell that she was beautiful. She opened her mouth, and all the sounds of the snow and wind instantly disappeared. All I could hear was the one word she said, ringing through my ears.

"Hachiman."

•••

"-INCOMPOOP! HACHIMAN!"

My eyes opened, this time in real life, and I could see nothing but white. However, I could hear Komachi screaming, and unfortunately for me, I couldn't breathe.

I violently jerked my head up, gasping for air, and taking in my surroundings. I was in my bedroom. The sun was coming through my windows. Somebody, presumably my sister, had opened my curtains. Speaking of my sister, she was next to me, a frown on her face and a pillow in her hands.

"It took you long enough to wake up, onii-chan!" She exclaimed, putting the pillow back down on my bed.

I looked at her, confused as to why she had my pillow in her hands in the first place.

"Did you suffocate me?" I asked her. "That's a crime."

"I had to wake you up! I regret nothing!" She said, sticking her tongue out at me.

"It's also very low on points, imouto." I told her, laying back down on my bed.

I could practically hear her roll her eyes.

"Get up, onii-chan!" She yelled at me.

Why was she even trying to wake me up? It was Monday, sure, but we were on break. Perhaps she had forgotten? It's not like I had to go to school.

Oh shit.

"Shit!" I exclaimed, rolling off my bed, and landing on the floor and inch away from her feet. I got up, and looked at the time on my alarm clock. It was 11:30. Hiratsuka-sensei said the bus would be leaving at noon, on the dot. There was no way I'd be able to get ready and make it to the station at noon on my bike. Perhaps if I had access to a car, I'd be able to make it on time. Both my parents were already at work, so there was no way I'd be able to get a ride there. If I didn't manage to make it to the trip on time, I'd likely never live to graduate. God, if you're listening, help me out here!

"Don't worry about riding your bike there, I've already arranged for you to get a ride to the station!" Komachi told me, as if answering my prayers.

Thank you god, for giving me an angel for a sister.

"Now go get ready!" she barked, as she left my room.

•••

I entered the kitchen area around 11:45, and found a banana and some coffee waiting for me. I was grateful that my sister had left me food, but surprised that it hadn't been a full breakfast. She was typically adamant that I get three balanced meals a day. I also found the bag filled with clothing and amenities by the food. I grabbed the banana and placed it at the top of the bag for later, and began drinking the coffee, as I heard my sister walk in.

"He'll be right out! Yeah, I packed all his stuff for him. Bye!" She beamed, leaking happiness into her phone.

"I assume my ride is outside?" I asked, taking a sip of my drink. Nice and sugary, just how I like it. This world is undeserving of Komachi.

"Yup! Try to be nice, kay?" She told me, a big smile on her face as she rushed me out the door.

Something was wrong. Komachi hadn't made a joke, nor had she said something cute to collect more points. And she was being inexplicably happy. Analysis: she must have done something she knew would put me in a situation that I would much rather not be in. Likely something sociable, in an attempt to "cure" me. However, she knew that I was much more comfortable in social environments than before. Of course, I didn't like them, but I only complained a little bit.

I walked forwards, and saw a black town car with tinted windows parked in front of my home, but paid little attention to it as I continued my deliberations in my head.

Komachi knew that I was, for the most part, fine in a group. Meaning, she must have been trying to solve another one of my problems; likely, one that was much more recent. I reached for the door of the car, when I finally took notice of the angel figurehead on the hood of the car. At that moment, I realized what Komachi had done. The door to the car opened, and greeting me inside, was a big smile, and a face I was desperately trying to forget.

"Good morning, Hikigaya-kun!" Exclaimed a beaming Yukinoshita.

 **Wow, whoever writes this story is such a jackass, amirite? I mean, what kinda guy would keep his readers waiting so long?**

 **Just following the teachings of Watari-sensei**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: And So, His Reflections Begin to Become Clear**

I gingerly entered the car, eyeing Yukinoshita carefully. For somebody who had just had their confession been rejected, she was awfully happy. She had a small smile on her face, and was looking out the window opposite me. I could tell from the reflection.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" I asked, doing my best to sound casual, while avoiding her gaze as she turned to look back at me.

"Oh? Have you not heard the news? I assume that given your lack of- "

She paused, as if she was reconsidering insulting me. Too bad. With all that had been changing, I could have used some good old-fashioned banter.

Was I actually missing Yukinoshita berating me? Yikes.

"What I meant was, I heard the news that Kawasaki-san managed to earn an early acceptance to Chiba University, with a full scholarship. It seems your advice payed off," She explained, her smile beginning to fade.

I nodded. I was glad to see her happy, but it was obvious that she was trying her best to not be obviously upset. _Yukinoshita Yukino is a strong girl._ I thought that for the longest time. This was one of many examples of her strength. God knows that I wouldn't be – wasn't – strong enough to put on a brave face.

Besides, her joy was misplaced. Kawasaki going to school was good for her, but like all good things, had a downside. With Kawasaki busy studying or in classes, she would have less and less time for taking care of her siblings. While the responsibility could fall on her now maturing younger frog of a brother, the problem would then become the obvious; who would take care of the brother? It's not like the Kawasaki's could afford child care; If they could, Kawasaki wouldn't have been in her original predicament in the first place. This meant that at least one of Kawasaki's parents would have to quit work in order to take care of the junior Kawasaki's. Karmically, it all balanced out.

On any normal occasion, I would've pointed this out to Yukinoshita. However, this was no normal occasion. I, of all people, was the last person she would want raining on her parade. While it was obvious that the both of us were trying our hardest to leave our "situation" unsaid, the tension of it was all there, like a bridge cable only seconds away from snapping.

"Yukinoshita…" I began, finally making eye contact. "I think that we should address- "

"Hikigaya-kun," she interrupted, giving me a look that screamed _'shut up and listen.'_ "You and I are both aware of what happened Friday night. Given your track record, you more than likely understand the way that I am currently feeling, and I believe that you made the way that you feel perfectly clear."

"Yukinoshita, I…"

I knew where this was going. I hated every second of it. As much as I wanted to pass the blame on somewhere else, I knew that this was my own fault; a result of my own cowardice.

"Hikigaya-kun. I will respect your decision, but understand that some things are just better…"

She trailed off, but I understood exactly what she meant to say.

 _Better left unsaid._

•••

My conversation with Yukinoshita had ended right as we arrived at the meet-up point, where Hiratsuka-sensei drove the rest of us down to Chiba Mura. I sat next to Totsuka, listening to music in one ear and the conversation that he was desperately trying to start with the other. I wasn't really in the mood to talk with anybody.

When we arrived, Hiratsuka-sensei had given us an introductory speech, and then told us to place our things in our cabins. I hadn't payed much attention. If I'm to be honest, everything was kind of a blur after my car ride with Yukinoshita.

As I entered the boy's cabin, my mind began to sharpen once again. I tossed my bags up on to the top of a bunk bed, not paying attention to whoever had just placed their bags on the bunk beneath mine.

"Hikitani-kun!" I heard a voice behind me say. Obviously, it was the blonde bimbo himself.

"What do you want, Hayama?" I asked harshly, opening up one of the bags that Komachi had packed for me. Inside, on top of some clothes, I saw a couple of packs of instant ramen, as well as multiple cans of MAX Coffee. With a smile on my face, I closed the bag up, theorizing of my sister's clairvoyant powers, before turning back around to face Hayama.

"It looks like we're sharing a bunk, huh?" he said, nodding towards the bunk bed I had chosen. I looked down at the bed that was below mine, sighing. It was Hayama's stuff. Of course, just my luck.

"Oh. I can move to a different one, you could bunk with Tobe, or-" I suggested, trying my best not to let my desperation show.

"No need! Tobe is bunking with Yamato, and Ooka is on vacation with his family, so he didn't come along."

I looked around the room, sighing when I noticed that the other beds were already taken. Must the gods be so harsh on me?

"Yo, Hayato! Sensei said that we should meet up with her and the girls! Let's go, bro!" Tobe yelled, waving Hayama over to the door.

"I'll meet you guys there!" Hayama replied, a big bright smile on his face. Disgusting. "Hikitani-kun and I have to chat in private for a sec." He shot me a telling look, producing a deep sigh from me.

As the last of the guys finally exited our cabin, Hayama's smile instantly faded. As expected.

"You didn't fix it," he silently said, disappointment in his voice. He put his hand on my shoulder, eliciting a glare from me in response. Jeez, Yukinoshita was rubbing off on me. "Hikigaya, I wasn't asking you to fix things for me. I'm not as selfish as you might think me to be. I came to you for her sake. Your sake."

With the sadness in his voice, most normal people would fall to their knees and beg him to forgive them, give them a second chance. I, however, was appalled. I scowled at him, and pushed his arm off of me.

"I've told you this before, Hayama. So listen close, so I don't have to repeat myself again." I gave him the most intimidating look that I could muster, before speaking the words we both knew were coming out of my mouth. "Don't force your disgusting pity on me."

"Hikigaya, listen to me." Interesting; he looked angry. Angry to the keen observer, of course. To any outsider, his expression might've looked completely neutral. "I just want you to come to some sort of conclusion with her. Something real. Something genuine."

I visibly flinched at his choice of words. They temporarily broke through my defenses. The coincidence hit me a little harder than I thought. In a sense, he was right. Komachi was right, too. I was denying my feelings. I did feel something for her. It was an injustice to deny her the truth, if not at least a legitimate, permanent response.

But that wasn't going to stop me from bringing this bastard down a peg.

"You're talking to me about being truthful?" I asked, rhetorically, stepping forwards. "You? The same asshole who's been in love with some girl two years older than him for years, yet still accepted the confession of a girl he only keeps around for the sake of convenience?" My words seemed to stun him. The last part may not have been fully true, but it still got the reaction I wanted. "You're talking to me about being genuine?"

It looked like that was the final push that Hayama needed. Before I knew it, he pushed me against the bunk bed, and raised his fist. I flinched, waiting for the punch I knew was coming my way, before I heard a loud voice.

"HAYATO! HIKKI! THAT'S ENOUGH!"

The both of us turned to look at the owner of the voice, even though we both knew who it was.

"Yui-san, I- "Hayama started, letting go of me.

"Hayato-kun, Sensei sent me here to get you two… Just, go meet up with her and everybody." She stated, definitely not leaving any room for arguments.

"Just let me- "he tried, fruitlessly.

"Hayato! Just go!" She exclaimed, pointing at the door.

Hayama shot a glare at me, before wiping his shoulder and walking away. I dusted myself off and looked at Yuigahama. For some reason, she didn't look that angry with me. More like she was just… disappointed.

"That's twice you've got him angry enough to use force, now."

I nodded, sitting down on the bunk bed. A small smirk unintentionally formed on my face.

"I don't understand you, Hikki."

I gazed at her, not letting a word escape my lips, in hopes of avoiding sharing the same fate as Hayama.

"I heard about you and Yukinon."

She sat down next to me, and gave me an empathetic look. Did she take my rejection of Yukinoshita the wrong way? I shifted my weight away from her, hoping to establish some form of distance between us. Yuigahama was pretty, and I cared about her. Just not like that.

"I'm not as dumb as you think, Hikki," she said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I know that you don't like me like that. I've known since that time at the aquarium."

I relaxed and looked at her, something close to pity emanating off me. I noticed a tear in her eye.

"Hikki… She's different, you know? She has been for a while. That… It was kind of like the last nail in the coffin."

"Yeah, I've noticed," I replied, looking down at my feet.

Yukinoshita. I noticed it, on the car ride. Hayama had said she had become like Haruno. I saw what he meant, looking back on it now. She was becoming like her sister; inside and out. On the surface, she tried to keep calm, tried her best to act as if all was well and that the peace was preserved. On the inside… she was drifting. I hadn't known Yukinoshita for long, but from what I could tell, she lost her purpose. When we had first met, she aspired to save the world. Now… she could hardly save herself.

She had asked me to, that time at the amusement park. At the time, I didn't fully understand the request. It took me a while to figure out what she meant. I had always said that Yukinoshita was strong. I wonder if she thought the same of me, asking such a thing of me. But if that was the case, we were both wrong. I'm weak.

"What are you thinking?" Yuigahama asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. It seemed that my head was in the clouds much more often than usual.

"I messed up, Yuigahama," I sighed, wiping my face with my hands. "I really messed up."

"Hikki…" Yuigahama said in a low voice, almost whispering. "I know that you like her. I don't know why you said you didn't, but… You deserve that happiness. You both do. As much as it hurts… I know that I'm not the genuine thing that you want. I wish I was, but I'm not. But Yukinon could be, Hikki. You've got to make things right. If you let things stay this way, it won't just be your relationship getting hurt."

I faintly nodded, my eyes closed. I knew what she meant. If I let this pressure keep building, everything would go wrong. The possibilities were endless, and not a single one would turn out in my favour.

Yuigahama put her hand on top of mine, and gave me a warm, knowing smile, before getting up. She reached the door, and I felt compelled to ask her something.

"Yuigahama," I called out to her.

She turned around, and smiled.

"Yes, Hikki?"

"Did you know what she was going to do that day? Before club ended, when she asked me to accompany her?"

Her smile wavered, as she began out the door.

"You really are an idiot, huh?" She turned her head ever so slightly, and stuck her tongue out at me, before leaving. You're one to talk.

I took a deep breath, standing up. At this point, I was late enough that Hiratsuka would kill me no matter how fast I rushed over. I slowly walked out of the cabin, breathing in the natural air, and taking my sweet time as I trudged over to the rest of the group.

 **So, I apologize for the almost year long wait for new chapters. Thanks to all that have stuck around and kept reading; I don't really directly respond to reviews but I read and appreciate each one. I never thought this story would get as much attention as it has.**

 **I can say that I won't be posting weekly updates anymore, but I will be updating the story, and I hope that you guys enjoy it. As to the people who didn't really like the story, please leave reviews as to how I can specifically make it better.**

 **Thanks.**

 **P.S. I may or may not have changed my username.**

 **Also, happy Easter weekend!**

 **-Jay**


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